A new academic study presented at ESMO has provided the first Phase III data for tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes as a potential new therapeutic class, while industry leader Iovance looks set to have early-stage data for its TIL accepted by the US FDA.

Private Company Edition: Recent biopharma venture capital financings add up to $1.7bn, including a $135m crossover round for HilleVax after spinning out of Takeda in July to advance a norovirus vaccine, Skyhawk’s $133m in fresh funding and Obsidian’s $115m series B round.

Also, deals involving AbCellera/Angios, AstraZeneca/Alchemab, Kowa/Esteve, OSE/Veloxis, Tris/Park, Core One/Akome and Vertex/Obsidian.

The center is partnering with Obsidian to make autologous TILs work better after being infused back into patients by using IL-15, which may be less toxic than the high-dose IL-2 currently used.